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Topic: Reception of Byzantine Catholics into the Orthodox Church (Read 4143 times)

I was wondering if the reception of Byzantine Catholics into the Orthodox church is the same as everyone else (do they usually have to wait a year as a catecumen, observe the liturgical cycle for a year, etc, ) Since they say the same prayers and do the same liturgy, is it different when they are received into the church compared to a RC, Anglican, ect??

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Troparion - Tone 1:O Sebastian, spurning the assemblies of the wicked,You gathered the wise martyrs Who with you cast down the enemy; And standing worthily before the throne of God, You gladden those who cry to you:Glory to him who has strengthened you! Glory to him who has granted you a crown!

I can hardly comment on the norm, but at the parish I attend there were two Byzantine Catholic converting in the past. The conversions took about 1.5 - 2 years, and they were accepted through baptism. It is a ROCA parish.

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As a result of a thousand million years of evolution, the universe is becoming conscious of itself, able to understand something of its past history and its possible future.-- Sir Julian Sorell Huxley FRS

As usual, it depends upon one's bishop and jurisdiction. For example, in North America, Greeks and Antiochians would normally chrismate you. In the OCA it varies widely. With the Antiochians, if you were a Melkite (Byzantine Catholic from the Middle East) and your spouse was Orthodox and you had an Arab parish, you may be received by a profession of faith.

I was wondering if the reception of Byzantine Catholics into the Orthodox church is the same as everyone else (do they usually have to wait a year as a catecumen, observe the liturgical cycle for a year, etc, ) Since they say the same prayers and do the same liturgy, is it different when they are received into the church compared to a RC, Anglican, ect??

After St. Peter's sermon after Pentecost 3000 individuals entered into the Church without any Catechesis at all! I dare say when one is ready he or she should enter into the Church regardless.

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St Basil the Great (330-379 A.D.): “I think then that the one goal of all who are really and truly serving the Lord ought to be to bring back to union the churches who have at different times and in diverse manners divided from one another.”

After St. Peter's sermon after Pentecost 3000 individuals entered into the Church without any Catechesis at all! I dare say when one is ready he or she should enter into the Church regardless.

Of course, it doesn't say how many of those people later fell away or ended up in hell. Plus, these were apostles preaching, not extremely more sinful people like us.

I think longer catechesis should be the rule for everyone--especially Byzantine Catholics, who may have an idea that they are already Orthodox and just "switching jurisdictions."

From the day I asked my bishop to make me Orthodox to the day I was baptized was 23 months. Part of this was due to some personal family matters but once those were resolved, we still waited around 8 months. I really am glad I did because I became Orthodox knowing full well what it was about and the pitfalls converts experience, etc.

Of course, it doesn't say how many of those people later fell away or ended up in hell. Plus, these were apostles preaching, not extremely more sinful people like us.

And how many of these people had heard the message before but not committed? Just because 3000 were baptized because of Peter's witness doesn't mean they had no exposure to Jesus during his Earthly ministry, or to the preaching and teaching of the Apostles.

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"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."" Isaac Asimov

I think longer catechesis should be the rule for everyone--especially Byzantine Catholics, who may have an idea that they are already Orthodox and just "switching jurisdictions."

I'm inclined to agree that a longer catechesis is good. Look at the early church... the typical catechesis could go on for years! Of course, it's always up to the bishop and the spiritual father, of course. Some catechumans may be more spiritually mature than others, and may be ready quicker.

As far as the Byzantine Catholics, I would say that their catechesis in the Orthodox church would be a little different from others, with the inclusion of a little more about what makes the Orthodox Church different from the Byzantine Catholic church. This could go for Protestants, too, of course. Their catechesis would include a little more about what makes the Orthodox Church different from their former church. In both cases, I think it's important to emphasize that, while everyone walks by the light they are given, the Orthodox Church specifically rejects such-and-such doctrines and beliefs (fill in the such-and-such depending on the faith from which they are converting). I guess it suffices to say that catechesis, in my opinion, should always be somewhat individualized, addressing each person's former beliefs and lifestyle. But for Byzantine Catholics, as their faith LOOKS so much like ours, it is vital that these details be covered, so that, as Anastasios said, they don't think they're just "switching jurisdictions."

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Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.Matthew 18:5

I do agree that catechesis needs to be individualized, but on the other hand---we had 26 people in our Catechesis class this fall, and 26 solo classes with me a week are just too much to be scheduled.

So, what did I do? On Wednesdays our parish also has Family Night (we have a common fasting meal, followed by adult instruction and kid's instruction, in seperate groups), and so I started to announce that my office door would be open to any of the Catechism Class attendees starting at an hour before the kitchen starts serving....so anyone who wants or needs to discuss anything with me has a 'standing invitation' to do so.

And I do not get all 26 to come every week, but in the course of a month we get most of the class to have some one-on-one time with me, and that seems to help things. It also helps the 'regular' parishioners, too, since they know they can find me for confessions an hour before 'Coffee with Fr Chris' starts.

« Last Edit: December 31, 2007, 03:23:35 PM by FrChris »

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"As the sparrow flees from a hawk, so the man seeking humility flees from an argument". St John Climacus

I do agree that catechesis needs to be individualized, but on the other hand---we had 26 people in our Catechesis class this fall, and 26 solo classes with me a week are just too much to be scheduled.

So, what did I do? On Wednesdays our parish also has Family Night (we have a common fasting meal, followed by adult instruction and kid's instruction, in seperate groups), and so I started to announce that my office door would be open to any of the Catechism Class attendees starting at an hour before the kitchen starts serving....so anyone who wants or needs to discuss anything with me has a 'standing invitation' to do so.

And I do not get all 26 to come every week, but in the course of a month we get most of the class to have some one-on-one time with me, and that seems to help things. It also helps the 'regular' parishioners, too, since they know they can find me for confessions an hour before 'Coffee with Fr Chris' starts.

I'm inclined to agree that a longer catechesis is good. Look at the early church... the typical catechesis could go on for years! Of course, it's always up to the bishop and the spiritual father, of course. Some catechumans may be more spiritually mature than others, and may be ready quicker.

Of course, many of the early Christians were converting from other religions. Many people today are converting from Christian backgrounds.

I'm being chrismated next Sunday. For two years I attended a Ruthenian Catholic church. Since summer, I've been attending an Orthodox Church. I imagine the catechumen time is best left to the priest. Personally, I don't see how much benefit it would be to me spiritually to wait 8 more months or so for chrismation. I go to an Orthodox Faith study once a week, but I already know 95% of what is taught there (but only because I studied theology and focused a lot of my studies on Orthodoxy). For me, the greatest difficulty has been not living a sacramental/mystical Christian life for almost a year. I'm used to going to confession and receiving the Eucharist on at least a semi-regular basis.